A disturbing incident of alleged harassment and attempted theft caused tension aboard a passenger bus bound for Zamboanga City after a man—believed to be suffering from a mental health condition—reportedly disturbed fellow passengers, including an elderly woman and a child.
According to passenger Emalyn Mandawe, the situation escalated when she noticed the man repeatedly leaning too close to the elderly woman seated beside him. At first, she assumed they were together, especially when the woman went to the restroom and the man followed, even placing his arm around her.
Moments later, however, the elderly woman confided that the man had gripped her hand tightly as they walked to the restroom—an act that raised further alarm among the passengers.
Mandawe shared a detailed account of the incident, saying the elderly passenger had attempted to change seats because the man kept pressing against her. The conductor had earlier mentioned that the man was headed only to Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, which made his behavior more suspicious as he insisted on staying close to the elderly woman and the child.
The tension heightened when the bus reached Buug town. The man allegedly began pulling the elderly woman’s hand forcefully, repeatedly insisting that they get off the bus together. He also reportedly attempted to claim the passengers’ bag as his own. The child was also hurt after the man was seen squeezing the child’s hand.
Mandawe added that another man, appearing to be intoxicated, tried to convince the elderly woman and the child to disembark with the suspect—prompting her to intervene firmly. “ZC pa na sila! Wa nay labot ang tiguwang ug bata!” she recalled telling the man.
Unable to physically intervene out of fear the suspect might turn violent, Mandawe said she kept a close eye on him while ensuring the elderly woman and the child received help.
Fortunately, the passengers were able to seek assistance from a nearby police station ahead of their route. Responding officers boarded the bus and removed the man, allowing the elderly woman and the child to continue their trip safely.
After the suspect was taken off the bus, the elderly woman broke down in tears and was moved to another seat to calm her.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but passengers are calling for stricter monitoring of individuals boarding provincial buses, especially those showing erratic behavior.